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to supplement or not to supplement?

my lo is 10 months old. he eats 3 meals a day and nurses like a pro when we are together about 7 times a day. i work three days a week and i have been getting less and less at the pump and frankly i am extremely tired of worrying about it b/c i cannot seem to change the amount i pump. (i've changed pump parts, taken vits...)

when we are apart i have my dcp give him a 3.5 oz bottle for lunch and a 3.5 oz bottle for dinner and a 3.5 oz bottle at bed time. yesterday i pumped twice and was only able to get about 5 oz total (normally i would have pumped 3 times and just been a bit short but he was awake when i got home so i fed him). this is not enough to feed him today and i have used all of my freezer stash. in this situation should i supplement with formula so that he continues to get the fluid ounces he is used to or should i supplement with food/water instead?

Re: to supplement or not to supplement?

Until a year, supplement with formula. After a year, use solids and water or animal milk (or juice, but make sure it's diluted with water, since pure juice is really not good for baby's teeth and it's always better to eat the whole fruit than just drink the juice). It sounds like you are nursing plenty when you're with your son, so you probably could get away with offering solids and water, but I think to be on the safe side you'd want to use formula.

I know you've tried changing pump parts and taking vitamins and all that, but have you tried the most effective supply increasers for a pumping mom: pumping more often and pumping for longer time periods?

Re: to supplement or not to supplement?

i do pump for a bit longer than i used to but i would hate to add in another session. I CAN'T STAND PUMPING!!! I am not yelling, i'm just sayin it's so annoying. maybe i can/should add a session in on the days i am home with him, i can't while at work. only 2 more months of pumping to go, that goodness!

Re: to supplement or not to supplement?

I hear you, mama, because I CAN'T STAND PUMPING, EITHER! I had to do a lot of it when my first was a newborn. I was so happy when I could finally stop. It was return the hospital-grade pump to the LC or throw it out the window while screaming in frustration. 2 more months. You can do it.

Re: to supplement or not to supplement?

I will beg to differ, but I would offer some solids for lunch; that may help make up the difference. It isn't as good as BM, but it will help take the pressure off the need to pump. And then nurse as much as possible when you are together. Around 10 months is when I stopped sending as much milk to daycare; she fed him solidsfor lunch, and we nursed the rest of the time.

Do you have a hand pump? You could try that for a few days and see if your response is better. I'm thinking after 10 months of pumping your pump is wearing out.

Re: to supplement or not to supplement?

You do not need to supplement with formula while you are at work, IMO. 7 nursing sessions a day + solids + whatever you can pump is more than enough for a 10 month old. If you were dealing with low supply that would be different. You're talking about filling in the gaps while you're at work. I'd send solids, water, maybe even coconut or almond milk to drink.

Mama to five beautiful kids- 9, 8, 3, 2 and currently nursing our new baby girl born 1/20/2013

"It should not be necessary to tell reasonably intelligent mammals to suckle and not dismember their neonates." ~Susan Blustein